When did this reconciliation happen?
by Sheila Bryant
Summary: SMUT ALERT! Yes, I know I'm a bad person. And you LOVE be for it! Anyway, it's about Emily & Richard's answer, and you diehard fans know it must be 3 parts then. Yes, it is.
1. Yesterday

_**Disclaimer  
**__Emily and Richard, and all other recognizable Gilmore Girls characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions, and the WB.  
I use these characters without permission, but am not making any profit from the copyrighted characters.  
No infringement is intended._

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**Author's note:  
**So, this is a 3 part story … of course it is. We know what Emily's & -mainly- Richard's answers were when Lorelai asked them.  
So be good and review and instead of giving you a cookie this time, I'll post a new chapter.  
Muahahahaha! Yes, I'm evil. … In a good way. ;o).

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_**RICHARD**__: … Lorelai, Rory, your grandmother and I have reconciled. We are officially back together.  
__**RORY**__: Really? Oh my God! (She hugs them.) That's great! I'm so happy.  
__**LORELAI**__: When did this reconciliation happen?_

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**Yesterday…**

"I'll make arrangements to get your car to the shop tomorrow." His voice was soft. She could feel that he was sorry even though he didn't say it.

"Thank you." Emily wanted to say more, wanted to tell him that it had been a mistake and that she wanted him back, but she couldn't. He'd have to make the first step, that's what she had promised herself in all those restless nights when she had argued with herself wether she should just go to the pool house and ask him to come back or not.  
She had been reasoning with herself quite often lately. Every time she woke up at night, thinking it had been a bad dream and rolled over, just to find a cold, empty spot on the side of the bed where he used to lay before her tears blurred her vision. It had physically ached to not be able to be close to him.  
Looking down at her hands she bit her tongue once more.

Richard tried to think of something to say, stating the next best thing that came to his mind, just to keep on talking to her, "You might want to re-think that lease, though." Pausing for a moment, he hoped his voice wouldn't betray him.  
He still felt sorry for what he had done. But seeing Simon McLane standing there, next to her car, smiling down at her with this slick smile, like the hungry wolf that he was, he hadn't been able to stop himself.  
He wanted to take her in his arms, to just touch her but his well trained self discipline prevented him from giving in. She wouldn't want it and he knew that stopping himself from touching her hurt his heart much less than having her push him away. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

How she wanted to say no.  
She wanted to cry and tell him that she missed him, wanted him to put his arms around her and tell her everything was fine again. Instead she heard herself say, "I'm fine." Her mind silencing her heart once more, even though she felt it bleeding.  
It was too late to say she wasn't. He would go back to the pool house again and she wouldn't see him for days, ending up trying to find some silly excuse to meet him, even if it was just to match their schedules.  
Emily thought of the last time they had done that. Never before had she recognized how awfully long the dining room table was. He had been so far away and when he had asked her if she'd like more water, she had nodded because she just wanted him to come over and stand next to her. To be close to him. Even if it was only for a moment.  
Now he was moving away again. So far away.

Richard took a step away from her and stopped. He couldn't go on; he couldn't make himself walk away from her. It was wrong, it had been wrong from the very beginning and he wanted to end it. His shoulders sagged while his bruised pride fought a silent battle with his lonely heart; his emotions made his voice shake slightly, "I don't want to go back to the pool house."

Her heart puckered up in her chest. She held her breath for a moment, her mind racing. It was now, he wanted to come back, he asked her to let him, it was his way of saying he was sorry and he missed her. Her heart was on her tongue, "Come home." It felt like an eternity before he finally turned around.

Hearing those two words made his heart stop for a second. Did she really say them? Was it his imagination? He turned around and looked at her, not moving from where he was standing.  
Their eyes met and all the locked up emotions they had both been having were exchanged in one glance.  
Richard closed the distance between them, taking her into his arms, crushing her to him. It was as if time stood still and fast-forwarded in the same moment.

Being back in his arms felt wonderful. She clung to him, in desperate need to be as close to him as possible, to just feel him. Feeling his hands caressing her back, his breath on her hair, hearing his heart beat wildly in his chest when she pressed her head against it; it felt like home.  
Emily felt tears sting in her eyes; they felt so different from before. She couldn't remember the last time she had cried from happiness, but in this moment she didn't care. All that was important was that she was back in his arms. In his strong, protective arms where she belonged. Tightening her arms around him, she breathed in his scent. He was back.

He kissed her hair, bending down to kiss her forehead, glad when she lifted her head from his chest to look up at him.  
All there was was she.  
The most beautiful, perfect woman there had ever been for him. And she was his. Richard saw the tears in her eyes, smiling because he knew exactly why they were there, his own tears spilling over when his grin widened.  
She brought one hand up to brush it over his cheek. Returning his smile, her eyes dropped to his lips before she gently brushed her thumb over them.  
Emily swallowed hard, her pulse racing when she pushed herself up on her toes, bringing her face closer to his. She hesitated for a moment, almost afraid before touching his lips with hers.

The world exploded around them in shards of color and light when their lips finally met.

He quickly parted her lips with his tongue, eagerly exploring her mouth, tasting her deeply.  
Emily moaned into his mouth, his touch took her breath away; she didn't fight him when she felt him push her back against the closed front door. She wanted to feel him, to be his again like so many times before, no matter where or how, just now. Sliding his heavy coat down his arms, she expertly undid his bow tie and flung it aside, letting his white silk scarf follow seconds later. She opened his jacket and pulled his shirt from his trousers while she felt him lifting up her skirt, grabbing her thighs. Emily raised one well-trained leg up to clasp it around his thigh, rubbing herself against him, not breaking their kiss while his hands roamed over her body.

His kisses were as hungry as hers, his hands blindly searching for a way to get under her clothes.  
Richard pushed her coat off her shoulders and helped her shrug it off quickly. Freeing her from her top and bra, he once again pushed her against the heavy wooden door.  
Eagerly touching every inch of exposed skin, he disengaged his lips from hers. Trailing kisses down her throat he heard her moan his name; it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

Her eyes closed and she leaned her head back against the door. She didn't know if it was the cool wood against her naked back or his kisses that caused her goose bumps, but when he knelt down in front of her, his mouth tracing invisible patterns on the smooth skin of her belly she stopped thinking. Entangling her hands in his hair, she looked down, watching him while he ran his hands up and down her long legs and under her skirt, teasing her through her pantyhose and panties.

He couldn't get enough of her; the way she smelled, the way she felt, the way he felt the muscles under her skin tighten when he touched her. Richard didn't want to wait any longer, he couldn't, and the fact that she was wearing pantyhose didn't really help him get any calmer. It was another barrier on his way to her skin and he didn't want to take the time to peel it off her, like he had done so often in the past.  
He pulled the flimsy material away from her skin with both hands and tore it open at the crotch, quickly pulling her panties to the side to finally feel her against his fingertips.

For once in her life she was glad he did, not caring about anything but the feel of his hands on her. She smoothed back his hair, taking in a sharp breath when she felt him kiss the inside of her thigh before he stood up to crush his mouth to hers once more. The tenderness of his hand stood in hard contrast to the roughness of his kiss; she couldn't think clearly, her need to feel him growing with each time their tongues touched.  
Emily's hands were shaking while she fumbled with his belt. Finally opening it, she smiled against his lips when she heard him groan as she let her fingers slid into his trousers to touch him before she unzipped his pants, letting them fall to the floor.

He grabbed her wrists, pinning her against the door, rubbing himself against her. Emily moaned his name, not moving her arms when his hands let go of her to trail down her sides before resting on her hips as he continued his movements.  
She snuck her arms around his neck when she felt his hand brush down her thigh, grabbing the back of her knee, pulling it up. Another breathless moan escaped her lips while his mouth left hers to bite her neck, "Take me Richard."  
She didn't want to wait any longer; it had been so long already. Shifting her pelvis, she moaned when she felt his erection touching her sensitive skin.  
He looked deep into her eyes, breathing heavier than usual, his longing for her visible in his gaze. She took his face in her hands and kissed him lightly, whispering, "Take me" while teasing him by withdrawing her lips from his again and again, mumbling against them, before he couldn't take it any longer and pushed his body forward, entering her without warning, taking her by surprise.

She felt good. Soft and warm, just like he remembered.  
Just the way he had imagined every night he had missed her. He pushed into her again, lifting her off the ground while his mouth covered hers in another passionate kiss.  
Emily locked her legs behind him, pulling him closer against her. It was even better than she remembered, the sheer knowledge of having him inside of her made her skin burn, the feeling of his hot flesh moving against hers, the way he held her up without any effort, made her realize how much she had missed him all over again. Her eyes were closed when they broke their kiss, both breathing rapidly, his forehead pressed to hers as he quickened his movements, her moans getting louder with every thrust. She could feel the now warm wood of the door sliding against her back, the fabric of his shirt against her skin adding to the sensation he created within her.

Richard felt his climax build while he enjoyed the feel of her smooth skin against his loin. He remembered all the other times he had touched her, had made love to her, but it had been ages since he had taken her like this. He felt the muscles in her thighs tighten while he thrust into her again and again. The smell of Chanel No. 5 mingled with her own special scent was forever embedded in his mind. How he had missed it. How he had missed her.  
He wanted to show her just how much and he would.  
Richard had dreamed of taking her, of making love to her, but taking her against the front door had never entered his mind.  
Her breath tickled his neck when she tightened her embrace. Burying his face in her hair, he moaned her name, almost sorry when he couldn't stop himself from coming.

The moment she felt his release spilling into her, Emily came for the second time. She tightened her arms and legs around him, pressing her forehead against his shoulder while waves of pleasure soared through her body, leaving her gasping for air. She felt him leaning into her and smiled against his shoulder while still trying to calm her breathing.  
Lifting her head up, she brushed her cheek against his, taking in a deep breath, enjoying the familiar smell, she brought her lips close to his ear, "Welcome back." kissing the spot right under his earlobe. Her comment made him chuckle, causing his body to shake slightly.  
Turning his head, he kissed her forehead, whispering, "I love you, Emily Gilmore."

She looked up at him, her heartbeat quickening slightly when their gazes met. Emily's smile widened, words failing the usually so quick-witted woman. She leaned forward to kiss her husband lovingly.  
Brushing his hands over her thighs, he took a small step away from the door, reluctantly extracting himself from her. He helped her stand on her own feet again.  
Still a little unsteady, she watched him readjust his trousers while she pushed her skirt down, shivering now that his body didn't warm hers anymore. Richard took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, smiling at her, he winked, "I'm glad the maid already went home."

She giggled, slipped her arms through the much too large sleeves of his jacket and reached down to pick up their coats from the floor. Hanging them up she felt him standing behind her before he snuck one arm around her slim waist, kissing her neck. "Bed?"  
Emily leaned back against him, enjoying his closeness. "Bed," she nodded, turning in his embrace to kiss him.  
He grinned, kissed her cheek and held out their discarded clothes to her, "Hold that."  
Furrowing her brow, his wife took the bunch that contained her blouse and bra as well as his bow tie and silk scarf from him, glancing up at him questioningly. Kissing her again, his lips were still on hers when he suddenly lifted her up in his strong arms, grinning when she let out a surprised gasp.  
"Richard!" she laughed throwing one of her arms around his neck while she held their clothes in the other.  
He grinned down at her while he climbed up the staircase, "You didn't think I was already finished with you, did you?"  
Emily giggled, "Let me live."  
Stopping in front of their bedroom, he put her down, turning her towards him, kissing her gently, "Promised."

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Coming next: 

…**And last night…**

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**Author's note **(Yes, I'm quite chatty today):  
So this was 1 of 3. Hope you liked it.  
I'll dedicate it to 'Emily&Richard4ever' - sidenote: STOP USING CAPITALS; IT'S RUDE TO SHOUT AT PEOPLE! ;o) Nah, just teasing.  
But if you go on like this I might need a hearing aid soon.  
Thanks to Elizabeth, my faithful beta. I don't think I can live without you & your comments anymore. ... I don't really want to try it out, no, really. BIG hug to you! You rock!!


	2. And Last Night

**_Disclaimer_**_ - see chapter 1._

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**Author's note:**  
Now I remember why I like fan fictions with more than one chapter:  
You can answer the people who were kind enough to give you a review:o)  
But since I myself dislike it immensely when you have to scroll down ages to get to the story because the author's note is so long, I'll re-review on the bottom. _  
_

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**  
...And last night...**

She smiled up at him, feeling butterflies dancing around in her stomach. Their gazes locked and she slowly raised her hand to cup his cheek.  
The sleeve of his jacket was much too long and wide for her slim arm, covering it up to her fingertips, the rich material not sliding back when she moved her arm up.  
Her smile widened as she saw him close his eyes when she touched him.  
This man was her life.  
She didn't know how she had been able to live without him for so long but it didn't matter anymore. He was back; everything would be all right now.

He pulled the sleeve away from her hand before he covered it with his, leaning into her touch, his heart skipping a beat.  
She was here.  
It wasn't a dream or a fantasy, no, this was real. She stood before him, in front of their bedroom door, smiling at him. Touching him.  
For the second time tonight he realized how good it felt to be home and how much this feeling was connected to this woman. His wife.  
He smiled and opened his eyes again, squeezing her hand before placing it on his heart.

Looking at the still closed door, she was surprised to feel nervousness. She scolded herself for feeling that way, still she couldn't help it. It was their bedroom. For some reason entering it with him again felt like a very important and meaningful step. Emily felt her heart in her throat when she quickly stuffed the bundle of clothes she was still holding into one of the jacket pockets and then closed her hand around the doorknob.  
Her husband gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, making her look back up at him, feeling somewhat caught.  
Returning his smile, she giggled, "This is silly," looking down in embarrassment.

Richard took a step forward, sneaking his arms around her, feeling her hands move up to lie against his chest as she placed her head above his heart. Taking a deep breath, his chin grazed her hair as he shook his head, "No, it's not."  
He couldn't say why, but he understood her hesitation. Making passionate love to her in the foyer was one thing, but being back in their bedroom, in their bed; it was something else. He pulled back slightly, turned her around and let his hand brush down her arm to rest on hers. Entwining their fingers he placed her hand on the door knob once more, his hand covering hers. He snuck his other arm around her, bending his head down to kiss the side of her neck before whispering in her ear, "Whenever you're ready."

She remembered these words.  
It were the same he had used when she had first allowed him to make love to her.  
Richard had never been a man of patience but he had been patient with her; never rushing her, not making her do things she didn't want. Of course he had tried to convince her at times, but she couldn't remember one time where he had forced her to do anything. He had always been able to get himself back under control.

Leaning back against him, she closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the security that his closeness created within her before she turned the knob, pushing the door open.

They remained standing in the doorway unmoving for a while, his arm still embracing her from behind, his cheek pressed to hers, looking into the dark room.  
It looked exactly like it had when she had made him leave. The lace curtains gently blew in the light breeze that came from the half opened window, letting shadows dance around the room that was only illuminated by the light of the full moon. The door to the dressing room was closed, reflecting the pale light of the moon as well as the light coming from the hall on its white surface. Richard let his gaze wander, stopping in his tracks when he saw their reflections in the full length mirror across the door. Emily had watched him closely through it while he had taken in the room, now they smiled at each other, both happy that they were back here again.

She felt her heart beating wildly against her chest when she turned around to face him, took his hand and stepped backwards, leading him into the room.  
Richard hesitated for a second before he followed her, his eyes never leaving hers while he let her lead him over to her side of the bed. His unbuttoned jacket was much too large for her, causing the material to spring open when she sat down, revealing her full breasts to him.

He knelt down in front of her, put his hands on her knees and slowly pulled them apart. Moving further forward, he brushed his hands up her thighs and over her behind to wrap them around her, smiling up at her before he leaned in to place a tender kiss on the valley between her breasts.  
He leaned his forehead against her chest, closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, "You smell so good."  
Emily ran her hands up his arms, placing them on the back of his head, gently pulling him closer to her. She placed a kiss on his hair, burying her nose in it while she kept on playing with the hair on the back of his neck. Feeling him move his head up, she pulled away slightly, meeting his gaze.

They lips met for a first, almost hesitant kiss.  
Kissing her once more he brushed his hands up her sides under the jacket, while he searched her lips again brushing his tongue over them.  
She shivered under his touch and parted her lips to let him explore her mouth. Her hands trailed down his chest, slowly beginning to unbutton his shirt. Sliding her hands under it she pushed it off his shoulders and down his arms, giggling when he tried to pull his hands out of the sleeves. She had forgotten his cuff links.

Richard looked at her, his eyes sparkling with amusement, "Care to help me?" He held out his still trapped hands to her.  
Lightly kissing his lips she thought about it for a second, "What if I say no?"  
"Then I'd just have to ruin a perfectly good shirt," he winked.  
Smiling, she challenged him, "You wouldn't dare."  
"Hmm... try me."  
Pretending to think it over, she shook her head, grinning "No." Brushing her lips against his she purred "Not this time." against them, before kissing him again, this time more deeply. Her hands expertly removed his cuff links, their lips still pressed against each others. Biting his lower lip, she grinned when he threw his shirt over his shoulder and embraced her.

"Richard?" Her arms wrapped around his midriff, she leaned forward to put her head on his shoulder.  
Tracing her spine with his fingers, he kissed her neck, "Hmm?"  
Emily sat back up again, looking deeply in his eyes, whispering, "Close the door."  
He pulled away from her, took her face into his hands and kissed her lovingly, then stood up and quickly closed the door.  
Turning back towards her he watched her lying down on her side of the bed, smiling at him.

She extended her hand, silently asking him to come closer.  
Richard walked over to her and gently took her offered hand, sitting down on the same spot she had been sitting on a few moments ago.  
They looked at each other while he brought her hand up to his face, kissing its back lightly before he bent over her to kiss her lips, her hand pressed against his heart.  
He pulled off his shoes without breaking their kiss and lay down next to her.

Facing each other, Emily brought up one hand, gently touching his face with her fingertips, tracing every one of its features.  
He enjoyed her light caress, closing his eyes until he felt her lips on his. Looking at her, his heart melted and he couldn't help but smile.  
Holding his gaze she watched images from their past flash through her mind. The first time he looked at her, their first date, their first kiss, the moment she said 'yes', the time she had told him she was pregnant, they were all there. And so many more.  
The feeling overwhelmed her, letting her heart burst with happiness and joy, "I love you, Richard."

Swallowing hard he couldn't do anything but stare at her, knowing his eyes expressed more than words ever could in this moment. He felt a mixture of pride, happiness and gratefulness, mingled with something else that he didn't even try to understand.  
His wife used these three words very rarely and every time she did it took him by surprise.

She chuckled, amazed by the fact that her words still had such a deep impact on him. Leaning over him to kiss him, she brushed her hand down his chest and beneath his undershirt, playing with the hair on his lower belly.

Richard took a deep, shuddering breath when he felt her hand slide upward, roaming his chest and then down his side. Sitting up he pulled his undershirt over his head, throwing it to the side before he trapped her upper body under his, enjoying the feeling of her cool skin against his. He kissed her again gently but longingly, letting her know that he was not in the mood for going to sleep yet.  
Emily moaned into his mouth when she felt him shifting his weight, his hand sliding under the jacket she was still wearing, pushing it off her to reveal her pale flesh.  
Feeling him pull back to sit up, she followed his movements so she wouldn't have to break their kiss while he freed her body from its covering. Quickly dropping the jacket next to the bed, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

Emily finally broke their kiss, pressing her forehead against his, breathing heavily. Her husband turned his head to kiss her cheek, then her shoulder, before he rested his chin on it, tenderly letting his hand travel over her bare back when he felt her putting her head on his shoulder.  
She snuck her arms around him, enjoying the feeling of his hands on her. Life was good in this moment. Kissing his shoulder she pulled away from him slightly to look into his eyes.  
He ran his hands up and down her arms, then down her legs and up again under her skirt. Touching her perforated pantyhose he smiled; he had forgotten about it. Richard chuckled lowly, grinning at her, "I'm sorry for that."  
Smiling, she cocked her head to the side, raising her eyebrows, "Why is it I don't believe you here?"  
He made an innocent face and shrugged his shoulders, "Because you know me too well?"  
She laughed, locked her hands behind his head and nodded, "You're right, I do."

They were quiet for a moment.

"I love you, Emily." He meant it, she knew, but his eyes had changed.  
There was a slight shadow of guilt and fear visible in them. Over the years of their marriage she had learned to read his eyes better than anybody else ever could. She swallowed and leaned forward, her head on his shoulder as she tightened her arms around him again, closing her eyes. She didn't want to feel like this. It had been so wonderful to just have him back; she didn't want to ruin it.  
Again tears stung in her eyes, but this time they weren't happy tears. She blinked them away, years of training letting her succeed, "I know."

Richard continued to draw invisible patterns on her back until he felt her relax against him. He was still unsure if they were okay now but he was afraid to say anything else right now. He wanted to work this out but not now. Now all he wanted was to enjoy their new found togetherness, he wanted to recreate that moment they had shared when she had taken him back.

Feeling her pulling away he met her gaze. The smile on her lips looked somewhat forced.  
"I'll go and change." With that she stood up, got her pajamas and went to the bathroom.  
He felt sad. Maybe they would have to talk about it now, so they could go on with their lives. Changing into his pajamas he lay on his side of the bed, listening to the running water while his wife showered.  
Still staring up at the ceiling he turned his head when she walked back into the room, trying to work some water out of the wet tips of her hair. He smiled, seeing that the rest of her hair was still dry he knew that she was planning on taking another shower sometime soon, letting his hopes rise a little.

Somehow she felt like the meanest person on earth for leaving the bed. The look in his eyes had pained her heart and she didn't want to feel any pain. Not tonight, not for a very long time, not now that he was finally back.  
Pulling the blanket up around her she lay on her side, facing him like she had done so many times in the past.  
Emily remembered the look he had given her when she had told him to come home. How she wanted to make that very same look reappear on his face.  
For a moment she was tempted to say 'I love you' again, just to see him smile, but she couldn't. Instead she moved her head closer to his and brushed a kiss against his lips. "I've missed you."

He smiled weakly. It felt good to hear those words but he knew that it wasn't enough. It wasn't what he wanted; what she wanted. It was a compromise and they had lived with compromises too often already.  
Opening his arms, he whispered, "Come here." Glad when she immediately shifted her body to lie next to him, her neck secured by his upper am, their foreheads touching while he snuck his arms around her, holding her close.

Emily brushed her hand over his now silk clad chest, slightly sorry for not being able to feel his skin under her fingers any longer. Her instincts told her that something was wrong and she could imagine what it was. Still she stayed quiet, waiting for him to do or say something.  
Impatiently chewing on the inside of her cheek she watched him closely until he turned his head away, resting his cheek against her forehead.  
He tried to think of things to say. Of things to do to make this oppressive feeling go away but everything he came up with sounded either silly or as if saying it would upset her.

Feeling her lifting her head to look at him, he met her gaze.  
"What?"  
Richard tried to smile reassuringly, "Nothing."  
"Come on, Richard, I know you better than that," she soothingly rubbed his chest with her hand, "Talk to me. … Please." She needed to know.  
He avoided looking into her eyes and instead brought up his hand to brush his finger over her lips. She didn't pull away, that was a good sign. "The words sound so shallow."  
"Which words?" She didn't let it go, she couldn't.  
He sighed in defeat, frustration coloring his voice, "All the words I can come up with to say I'm sorry."  
The corner of her mouth curled up a little, he really did try. She wanted to kiss him just for trying, thinking of something to make it easier for him, "Just start with one. I'm not that picky."  
Richard chuckled, "You aren't?"  
"Oh you." Nudging him for his comment she couldn't stop herself from giggling, glad about his teasing.

Emily snuggled back against him, her head on his chest, listening to his even heart beat, "I promise I'll try not to be this time."  
She felt his chest rising and falling when he took a deep breath.  
Turning her head, she placed a kiss on his heart, waiting for him to begin.  
"I'm sorry, Emily," he felt her smiling against his skin. "I didn't mean to hurt you."  
It sounded heartfelt and honest; still she felt a sting in her heart, trying to stay calm.  
"But please believe me; it was only lunch. Nothing more."

She felt tears burning in her eyes.  
Propping herself up on one elbow, she met his eyes. He looked afraid.  
This big, strong man looked afraid.  
It made her smile. He was afraid he could lose her again, it was clearly written on his face. Emily gently brushed her hand over his cheek. Bending down she kissed him before looking deeply into his eyes, "I believe you."  
Richard released a breath he hadn't been aware of holding. Looking up at her again he remained quiet. There was more to come.  
"I believed that it was 'just lunch' the first time you told me. That wasn't the problem."  
He furrowed his brow, clearly confused.  
Looking down for a second, she met his eyes again, "It's that you didn't tell me."  
"I didn't want to upset you."  
"It wouldn't have." She blurred out, knowing the second the words had left her mouth that it was a lie, turning her head to look anywhere but into his eyes.  
Raising his eyebrows he propped himself up on his elbow, mirroring her position, "Emmy…"  
She huffed, quiet for the moment.

Richard calmly waited for her next statement and it only took a few seconds before she shyly looked back at him, "Well, I would have been…" she couldn't stand his gaze, dropping it again, "For a while."  
She was cute when she was pouting but he held his tongue.  
"It's just …" Emily tried to think of a way to explain what she had felt but it was hard.  
She wasn't good at this, had never been, but she needed to make him understand. If only part of it.  
"…I felt … betrayed." It was the closest she could get to the mixture of hurt, anger and heartache she remembered. The feeling came back to her and she found the strength to explain it further, glad that he kept quiet. "It's not that you went out with this woman. … It's that you met with her behind by back … and not only once but for the whole length of our marriage."  
Swallowing hard she tried to get rid of the lump in her throat, trying to make her voice sound annoyed and not as if she was about to cry, "And it doesn't really help that she is the woman you wanted to marry before you met me."

His heart ached when he saw the look in her eyes.  
Richard knew that he sometimes lost sight of other people's needs but he had never thought it would happen with his own wife. He loved her, he always had but it had never entered his mind that she could find out about his meetings. At first he had felt slightly guilty for meeting Pennilyn but after a few years he hadn't really thought about it anymore. He had never tried to see it from Emily's point of view and being confronted with it like this made him hate himself for being so dumb.

Richard took her hand in his, squeezing it affectionately, "I understand."  
She looked deep into his eyes, "Do you?"  
Dropping his gaze he nodded before he looked back at her, "I am truly sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to hurt you but it never entered my mind." He swallowed hard, "I had a lot of time to think in the pool house. And … I remembered what you said to me the night you left for Europe. I couldn't get your words out of my head and I think that was good, because they needed time to sink in."  
She nodded, her gaze drifting down to stare at their hands, "I just felt so small and … unimportant."  
Richard felt his heart break and his voice showed it, "I never meant to make you feel that way, Emmy." He let go of her hand and brought his up to her face, cupping her chin to make her look at him, "You are important to me. You are more important to me than you can ever imagine."  
She remained quit while she searched his face intently, swallowing her pride for once, she admitted, "I should have told you earlier." and was rewarded with a compassionate smile.  
He knew this wasn't easy for her, so he held his tongue instead of agreeing with her.

Bending forward, Richard gently brushed his lips over hers, waiting for her to respond.  
Emily hesitantly moved her head towards him, increasing the pressure of her full lips as they touched his. She was glad he had apologized. They had found a way to get around saying 'sorry' quite well. Both not really liking the word.  
It always had a bitter taste to it; a 'you were completely right and I was completely wrong' kind of feeling and since they were both stubborn and could never change their point of view completely on any topic, they had worked out a different strategy over the years they could both live with.  
Withdrawing her head, she looked into his eyes and was glad to see the same shimmer in them they had held in the foyer. A smile crossed her face before she bent forward again to kiss him more deeply.  
There it was; the familiar tingle she had hoped would return.

Richard snuck his hand under the blanket, searching for her body. When his hand touched her belly, he slid it over her silk pajama to rest on her waist before he slowly brushed it over her hip, pulling her to him a little, glad when he felt her sliding closer to him.  
Not breaking their kiss, Emily placed her hand on Richards shoulder, pushing slightly to make him lie on his back.  
He obeyed her, feeling her roll with him so she half laid on top of him, her leg between his while her hand caressed his cheek.  
Breaking their kiss she trailed kisses across his cheek, laying her head next to his, her hand trailing down his chest to unbutton his pajama top. She kissed his neck while brushing her hand over his exposed skin, turning her hand to grab his when he lay it on top of hers and looked up at him, "Don't."

He furrowed his brow, his mind eased by her smile.  
"Let me." Emily kissed his mouth tenderly, "Let me." She whispered again while she sat up.  
Richard pulled himself up, his upper back secured by their pillows when he lay back.  
Holding his gaze she slowly began to unbutton her pajama, a smile spreading across her face as she watched his eyes following her hands.  
She let the top hang open, not taking it off when she straddled him. Still smiling she bent forward to kiss him lightly, his hands sliding up her legs to rest on her thighs.  
Emily felt him squeeze them affectionately before she made him sit up and deftly helped him out of his pajama top without breaking their kiss.  
He slid his hands up her back, holding on to her, pressing her against him.  
Pulling away, she looked into his eyes, seeing them mirroring the same passion and love she felt at this moment.  
Richard smiled at her, brought his hands up to her front and lightly brushed them up her body, across her full breasts to her shoulders, peeling the silk material off her body as he slid his hands gently down her arms, taking delight in the goose bumps his touches created on her tender skin.

Bending forward he kissed her collar bone, gently nibbling on it when he felt her hands on his chest, pressing him backwards. Lying back down against the cushions he bit her lower lip as she tried to pull away. Emily moaned into his mouth, deepened their kiss again. Hovering over him, she took his head in her hands, finally managing to pull away.  
She smiled down on him, amazed by the meaningful look he gave her. When he tried to sit up once more, she pressed her hand against his chest and shook her head no, feeling him sink back against the pile of pillows that propped up his upper body.  
Shifting her weight, she kissed his neck, trailing kisses across his collar bone and back again to lavish his chest on gentle touches of her mouth and tongue.  
Her feather light touches made his skin burn under her fingertips, her lips like melted ice where they brushed over his stomach.  
She wanted to touch every inch of him, wanted to make sure that she welcomed every part of his body back individually. Teasing his skin with her teeth she slid lower, tracing the hem of his pajama bottoms with her nose and mouth while her hands slid over the smooth material, feeling the bulge in his pants pulsing against her fingers when she brushed them over it lightly.

Richard didn't dare stop her, enjoying the aching desire he felt for her while he watched her closely. It was hard to hold himself back and when a lock of hair fell in her face and hid it from his view he instinctively reached out to tuck it behind her ear. She smiled and looked up at him, enjoying the unexpected touch as he gently brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek before combing her hair out of her face.  
Laying her head on his stomach, she closed her eyes for a moment, feeling his fingertips dance across her forehead and down her nose.

Emily's smile widened when he traced her lower lip and she opened her eyes to watch him. His eyes were glued to her lips while his index finger kept tracing their form. Opening her mouth slightly she moved her head forward, trapping his fingertip between her teeth.  
He chuckled, not moving his hand while he watched his wife closing her perfect lips around his finger, sucking gently before he felt her brushing her tongue over it.  
Richard swallowed hard, taking in a deep, shuddering breath which made her release his finger, giggling.

Turning her head to hide her grin in his stomach, she nuzzled his skin softly before looking back up at him, slightly blushed. Emily brushed her hand up his chest dreamily, her dark eyes sparkling up at him.  
Tracing his jaw line with her finger she moved up to kiss him, giving him the opportunity to trace her spine with his fingers, her skin warm and soft to his touch.  
Resting his hand on her shoulder he gently brushed it over her arm when she broke their kiss to smile at him. Richard then raised his hand to run his index finger up her throat and over her lips again, smiling when she giggled, a challenging gleam in her eyes, "Do you want me to be naughty?" kissing his fingertip.  
He combed his fingers through her thick, dark hair, cupped the back of her head and pulled her towards him for a slow, loving kiss, whispering against her lips, "I want you to be you."  
He felt her smile, their lips still touching, their gazes locked before she leaned forward again, giving him a peck before brushing her nose against his, "And what would that make me?"  
She was anxious to hear his answer, her eyes sparkling with mischief.  
"Many things." He winked and watched the corners of her mouth curl up further while she looked at him from under her lashes.

Emily decided to dig deeper. She slid down the mattress a little, crossed her arms and placed them on his chest, resting her chin on them, "Now I'm intrigued."  
He grinned and brushed some hair out of her face and over her shoulder, "So you want a list?"  
She smiled up at him, "You know how much I like lists."  
Brushing the back of his fingers over her cheek he chuckled lowly, "Yes, I know."  
She looked so beautiful like this. Nothing of the proper high society lady was visible in her features. All her defenses were down at this moment and she was nothing but his wife, the woman he had fallen in love with half a lifetime ago, "You're gorgeous."  
He grinned when she rolled her eyes and moaned, "Yes, sure."

Looking back up at him she saw his soul through his eyes. There was nothing in the world but the two of them in this moment, she felt transferred back to the time she had first fallen in love with him, it made her feel warm all over.  
"I won't let you get away with that." Emily winked, not even trying to hide her delight over his words. She knew he meant them. It was nice to be loved.  
"Oh, I will gladly make a very long list for you when we have the time."  
She raised her head, "We don't have it now?"

Grinning he took her hand in his, kissed her palm, then placed it on his upper thigh, making her follow his movements with her eyes.  
Richard raised one eyebrow when she looked back at him, her eyes widened.  
"Mr. Gilmore."  
He shrugged, looking rather proud. It made her giggle, "I think I'd better go and check off my list then, I guess."  
Seeing his confused look her smile widened, trying to give him an innocent look, "Well, I just want to make sure everything is still in its place."  
Her husband chuckled, "You have a check list?"  
"Oh yes, I do." Emily grinned broadly. "A very," she kissed his cheek, "detailed," the side of his mouth, "check list," his lips.

After giving him a kiss that held promise, she looked down at him, running her hand down his upper body, "Now, where was I?" Sliding her hand inside his pajama pants, she brushed it gently across his loin, never touching his middle, just teasing the skin around it with her fingernails.  
She moved to sit next to his hip and took a hold of the rim of his pants with both hands, sliding them down a few inches and up again, tautening the material so it brushed against his erection every time she moved it. Hearing him moan, she looked up at him. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly opened while his hands grabbed the sheets. Emily smiled and bent her head down to brush her hair over his lower belly before she took pity on him and freed him from his pants.

She watched his face closely while she shifted positions, brushing her fingers gently across the length of his hard member before she took him in her hand, squeezing lightly. He moaned her name when she began to gently stroke him.  
Richard had to gain all his self control to grab her wrist and make her stop. It only took one deep look into her eyes and she understood without words.  
Quickly taking off her pants, she placed one hand on each side of him and crawled upwards, letting her upper body brush over his before she kissed him passionately while mounting him again. Emily felt his hot flesh pressing against her thigh, moving her hip slightly to brush herself against his hard shaft. She wanted to play with him a little longer, but when she felt his hands on her hips, pushing her down on him she knew she couldn't let him wait.

Putting her hands on his chest, she pushed away, silently demanding him to remain lying. Richard looked up at her, brushing his hands over her thighs, up to her hips and down over her behind, grabbing it firmly. They shared a meaningful glance while Emily raised her hips to guide him into her, only breaking eye contact when she let her head fall back, moaning as she enjoyed the feeling of him inside of her.  
He watched her closely, letting his gaze travel down her body over her well formed breasts, lower over her flat stomach to where their bodies were joined. Slowly tilting his hips a little he smiled when a throaty moan escaped his wife again, her head falling forward, her dark eyes sparkling down at him with passion. She remained still, smiling at him before she slowly began to move, knowing exactly what to do so they'd both enjoy it to the fullest.

Placing her hands on top of his where they were still grabbing her hips she increased the speed of her movements, feeling him pull her down towards him each time she lifted her body. When his grip got tighter she took his wrists, making him let go of her to entwine their fingers. She rolled her hips against his, her moans getting louder before she pinned his hands down on the mattress, bending forward to kiss him deeply.  
Richard watched her as she sat back up, her eyes slid close while she kept a steady pace. He felt the urge to touch her when she leaned back further on him, her hands grabbing his thighs for support while she began to ride him harder. Resting his hands on her thighs, he let her fluent movements hypnotize him.

She felt every fiber of her being in this moment. There was nothing but him and her in the universe. Everything felt more intense when they were together like this, it had always been but now, after months of separation, it was even stronger.  
Emily could feel the tips of her hair brushing against her back while she moved, the thin film of perspiration covering her body, the warmth radiating from her husband, the throbbing of his shaft while it glided in and out of her. She shivered with desire, ready to let go whenever he'd make her.

He felt his climax build, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold back much longer but he wanted to, needed to. Richard didn't want this to end just yet, so he tried to concentrate more. Her smooth skin glistened in the moonlight; her rapid breathing caused her breasts to move even more than the continuous movements of her pelvis. Sliding his hands up her sides he cupped her breasts, delighted when he heard her gasp as he began to massage them, brushing his fingers gently over her hard nipples.  
She looked into his eyes once more, shifting her position to place her hands on his shoulders before locking them behind his head, pulling him towards her.

He willingly sat up; kissing her hard while he wrapped his arms tightly around her, the change of position pushing him deeper into her, taking her by surprise.  
Still kissing him she snuck her arm around him while her other hand grabbed his hair, barring him from taking his mouth off of hers.  
Emily felt him move against her, pushing deeper into her still, making her spread her legs wider apart. Her muscles contracted around him as he pushed himself up once more, sending her over the edge, following mere seconds later.

She felt the tingling between her thighs ebbing off slightly before the touch of his hands made her shiver again as they traced the muscles in her back. Their kiss became more soulful, their love surmounting their passion and lust for the moment.

Richard felt her resting her forehead against his before she gave him another short kiss and pulled away to meet his gaze.  
Both were still breathing heavily while their love for each other filled the room without the need to spell it out. It was all there, in their eyes.

He continued to let his fingers dance along her skin, enjoying the effect his touches had on her. He wanted to stay like this forever.  
Emily felt him raising his knees and gladly leaned her back against them, flashing him a grateful smile. With the spell of their orgasms fading away the aching in her thighs pushed itself into her consciousness more and more and she relaxed against him, letting him hold her. She let her head fall back to rest on his knees, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Richard watched her while her breathing got more even, raising his hand to brush his fingertips over her throat and down over her breasts, grinning when he heard her chuckle.  
"You're not serious."  
Still smiling he leaned forward to trace her collar bone with his tongue, tasting her salty skin. He felt her sit up straight again, looking up to meet her gaze. "I'm only trying to make up for lost time."  
Bending forward she kissed him gently, the cool night air harsh against the warm skin of her back, making her shiver. She nestled her head against his shoulder, glad when he wrapped his strong arms around her, shielding her from the breeze that came through the half open window.  
"Tired already?"  
She laughed, "And I have every right to be."  
Richard smiled, "I take that as a compliment." Kissing her forehead, he enjoyed her closeness to him, occasionally turning his head to kiss her neck while she relaxed against his body.

A few moments later, she lazily lifted her head, kissed his cheek and motioned to slide off him but he held her back. Emily gave him a puzzled look, raising her eyebrows.  
"Not yet."  
She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder again, kissing the side of his neck, "Five minutes."  
He raised his eyebrow, trying to look down at her, his movements caused her to lift her head to met his challenging gaze, "And then?"  
His wife chuckled, snuggling back against him, "We'll see."  
Grinning broadly, he leaned back against the pillows, mumbling "Sounds promising." and closed his eyes. 

* * *

**Author's note:**  
Hi. ... Missed me? ;o)  
Well, sit back and enjoy, this might take a while ... I mean, if you guys have a lunch or an afternoon squash game or something. . . oh, wait - wrong episode. giggles  
I'll try to make this short. - not that there's a chance I'll succeed.

hugs **Mel **my, what a special treat! I really should bribe you into reviewing more often, now that I know you do such a good job at it. ;o)

**Ane;** I try.  
It's all about the details - and I have the feeling that's something 'Miss Celine' would have said too.

I'm very glad it was one of those you-make-my-day stories for you, **Val.** I hope you enjoyed the 2nd installment just as much, or more.

(Note to self ... my, I do keep it short. I'm proud of me. Usually I can't get myself to. Hence, even my grocery lists tend to turn into novels)

Gern geschehen, **morzsa**, now all I need is to find out which one of the VTs you are ;o).

**Ellie, **as always your review was one where you grab a box of popcorn and a coke, sit back and enjoy while reading. I told you before how great your are at reviewing but I'll say it again: YOU ARE GREAT! Thank you so much!

**EmilyandRichard4ever **- another person whose name I don't know. Oh well, I am just glad you liked it. I mean, it was you who asked me to write this, but I don't think I can write the nightmare one you asked for. I do have some more stories in my head, so don't worry too much though.

**OldFashionedGrl** - You love me? Awww. Thanks. Well, I am glad you liked the 1st chapter. You're one of my brand new reviewers and I'm really glad you decided to write. It's so nice to see that people besides my precious VTs are actually reading & enjoying this. :o)

"Leh GASP!!" lol What a nice way to start a review, **Branda**. Made me grin, really. And the grin only widened when I read the rest. Yes, who doesn't want a 'randy Richard' ;o)

**Aleta. **Thank you. 

* * *

Coming next: 

…**And this morning.  
**


	3. And This Morning

**_Disclaimer_**_ - see chapter 1.  
--Dedicated to Valerie. I didn't really forget about your bDay, it just slipped my mind for a moment ... a long moment.--_

* * *

**…and this morning.**

He woke up with a satisfied smile on his lips. The crisp morning air blew the curtains apart slightly, letting the first sunbeams of the day tickle his nose. For a moment he wondered how the sun could get to him this early in the morning. The window of his temporary sleeping quarters in the pool house faced west. Then he remembered and his smile widened.

Lazily opening his eyes he rolled on his side, watching his wife as she peacefully slept next to him. The shadows of the curtain lace danced across her relaxed features, making her look even more serene than she already did.  
He got her back. He got his wife back. Looking up at the ceiling for a second, he sent a silent prayer to up above, and then looked back at her. She lay on her back, her face turned towards him, her hand next to her face, the sheets covering her slender form up to her shoulders.

He watched the even rising and falling of her chest for a while, his mind fixed on the fact that she was completely naked under the covers.  
A proud grin played along his lips; she had been too tired to put her pajamas on last night and that happened very seldom. It was a miracle to him that she had found the strength to shower, but then, she always did, no matter how much he tired her out.  
He remembered that she had crawled out of bed, kissing his chest when she pulled out of his embrace to walk over to the bathroom, telling him to go back to sleep and that she wouldn't be gone for long. Still he hadn't been able to fall asleep before he felt her head touching his shoulder and her hand above his heart again.

Richard argued with himself whether or not to raise the blanket to look at her perfect figure, but the chilling breeze coming from the half opened window stopped him. He didn't want her to wake up just yet. It was a rare occasion that he had the time to lie next to her for as long as he wanted. He didn't remember any early morning meetings or the like on his agenda for today. Even if he had, he didn't really care about missing them.  
Right now he felt perfectly happy, lying next to Emily, marveling at all the little things he had missed so much. The way the sun was reflected by her hair, how porcelain-like her skin looked, how fine the features of her face were and how they had always been. He couldn't stop himself from gently brushing a strand of hair out of her face, letting his fingers trace her jaw bone before brushing them across her perfect mouth.  
Seeing her stir, he bent over to place a feather light kiss on her lips, feeling her smile against his lips as she slowly woke up. She turned her body towards his and sighed, "Morning."  
Richard chuckled while he brushed the tip of his nose across her cheek before bending down to kiss it gently, "Morning, sleepyhead."

Cracking her eyes open, she quickly closed them again, the morning sun way too bright for her taste. Emily grumbled and moved closer towards her husband to hide her face against his chest where the sun couldn't find it. Putting his arm around her, he propped his head up on his hand smiling down at her while she snuggled closer.  
He pushed the blanket off her shoulder to kiss it, stopping when her hand snuck up to pull it back up around herself, mumbling something. Richard chuckled, repeating his actions just to see what would happen. The mumbling got louder but he still couldn't figure out what she said. Trying once more he grinned in contentment when she turned her head and glared at him. "Are you awake now?"  
His smiling eyes calmed her temper, "You're mean."  
"I'm in love." He kissed her nose.  
"If you'd really love me, you'd let me sleep." She tried to give him the evil eye but he kept on grinning. It was slightly frustrating that he knew which strings to pull to make sure she wouldn't stay mad for long.

Tracing the outlines of her face with his index finger, he shook his head, "I love you too much to let you sleep. I want to spend what little leisure time I have with you and though I enjoy watching you sleep it tends to be a lot more fun when you're awake." His fingers ran down the side of her neck and up her shoulder to tuck at the blanket again. This time she let him pull it away without arguing, taking a deep breath when he began kissing her shoulder, down to her neck, nibbling on it.

It felt nice. Maybe a little too nice for so early in the morning, but then, they had been separated for months. She felt him run his mouth along her jaw line and closed her eyes when their lips met. Richard gave her a few light kisses before he tried to kiss her more deeply but she pulled away before he could.  
"Richard?"  
He decided to place small kisses on her face instead of forcing her to do anything she wasn't up to, "Hmm?"  
She gently pushed a hand against his chest to make him stop and look at her. Knowing she had his full attention she smirked, "Brush your teeth."

For a split second he felt offended but the gleam in her eyes eased his mind. He lunged forward, keenly nuzzling her neck, knowing full well how ticklish she was. Emily tried to push him away, laughing out loud while he continued mercilessly. "Richard, stop it. Stop it!" She tried to sound serious but she knew she didn't.

"Are you giving up?" he had his arms around her, hovering over her while he gave her a break to catch her breath.  
Still giggling, she nodded her head, her eyes sparkling up at him.  
Her smile mesmerized him. There was a faint glow on her cheeks, her hair was disheveled and her eyes... her eyes. He smiled down at her, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. He had her back; his Emmy. There she was, lying in his arms, smiling. Richard wanted to burst with happiness.

She tried to stop giggling but couldn't. It felt so good to have him back. Looking up at him she watched the look in his eyes change from challenging to... something. She couldn't quite place it. All she knew was that she felt like the most important person in the universe when he looked at her like this.  
Her heart jumped when she saw his smile widen. The boyish grin she had missed so much; it was back. And it was she who had brought it back. She felt so much when she looked at him now, so much that she had almost forgotten about.

"Marry me." The words left his mouth without thinking.  
Emily smiled up at him again, confused and amused by his words, "What?"  
He sat up, crossed his legs and nodded; now it made perfect sense to him, "Marry me."  
Sitting up as well, she wrapped the sheet around her. It was cool in the room. He was still gazing at her. "Richard, we are married." she smiled, not quite sure what he meant.  
"I know," he pulled her close, making her rest her head on his shoulder, "I know." Kissing her neck, he brushed his hand up and down her back, "but I want to marry you again."

Lifting her head, she looked at him, her smile matching his, "Whatever you want, darling."  
His grin became mischievous again, "Whatever I want?"  
Emily gave a low chuckle, her voice low and sensual when she repeated herself, stretching every word, "Whatever … you … want."  
Cupping her cheek with his hand he placed another kiss on her lips, "You know what I want the most."  
She moved one hand to the back of his neck, playing with his hair while she innocently batted her eyelashes, "I do?"

Richard pulled her onto his lap, unwrapping the sheet she had arranged around her so carefully, sliding it down her arms. When he kissed her throat, he felt her shiver, raising his head he met her gaze again, he asked "Are you cold?"  
She nodded, "But not for too much longer, I guess." Raising her eyebrow, her eyes sparkled in expectation, her hand gently pulling at the back of his head, encouraging him to lean in to kiss her.  
"That can be arranged." He whispered before he gave her a long, slow kiss, his hand sliding inside the sheet to caress her skin.  
He furrowed his brow when she pulled away, "What?"  
Smiling at the sound of his voice, she pulled her shoulder up, "Your hand is cold."  
She snuck her hands out of her warm cocoon, took both of his and started rubbing them between hers, kissing his fingertips.  
Richard smiled down at her, watching her closely.

She concentrated on massaging his fingers, pressing her mouth against them every now and then while she tried to warm them. Sensing his eyes on her she looked up at him and was met by a lopsided grin. Emily stopped her actions, cocked her head to the side and raised one eyebrow, "What?"  
"You are adorable." He pulled his hands out from between hers and took her hands, pressing them against his chest.  
Rolling her eyes, she huffed, "Oh please."

Chuckling when he saw her trying to hide her smile, he brought their hands up to kiss her fingers. Richard laced his fingers through hers and bent forward to kiss her again, "Are they warm enough now?"  
Smiling against his mouth she nodded.  
"Good." He pulled their entwined hands behind his back, making her move closer towards him, then brushed his fingers up her arms while kissing her lovingly. "You have goose bumps."  
She giggled, resting her forehead against his chin, "Your fault."  
Kissing her brow, he bent his head down to kiss first her cheek, then her neck, "Is it still because of my cold hands?" He grinned against her skin, knowing the answer. Emily rested her cheek on the side of his head, closing her eyes while her hands lazily danced across his back, "Not this time."  
Turning his head he kissed her cheek again, "I'm glad."  
Her lips searched his, kissing him tenderly at first, starting to get more demanding and passionate by the second.

She felt his hands on her back, pulling her towards him before he moved one hand down her side and beneath the sheet, to run it down her leg. Turning to the side to give him better access, she raised her knee slightly. Her breath caught in her throat when he moved his large hand up the back of her leg again, sliding it over her behind before sneaking it further around her thigh to tentatively brush his fingertips over the sensitive skin between her legs.

Their tongues were still engaged in a passionate fight when the phone began to ring.

Emily tried to ignore it but after a few moments it started to get on her nerves. Breaking away from Richard, she pushed her hands against his chest and looked in the direction of the sound while her husband continued to kiss her neck. She turned in his embrace only to feel his arms tightening around her again, giggling when he nuzzled her neck, "Stop it; I've got to get that."  
Biting her earlobe he let her move away, his head following her as far as he could before he ceased from kissing her shoulder.  
Emily crawled away from him, to her side of the bed to grab the phone that lay on the night stand.

Holding the sheet while she moved away from him, he watched while it slid off her body, revealing her beautiful backside. He grinned and got a hold of her hips, kneeling behind her he bent over her to whisper in her ear, "Let it ring."  
She closed her eyes, her hand stopping in mid air while he brushed his hands up her sides and grabbed her breasts while gently nibbling the base of her neck.  
"It might be important." She let her head fall forward to give him better access; it was hard to talk in full sentences when he did this.  
Pressing himself against her behind, his hoarse voice made her drop her hand, "Let it ring." Richard let his hand travel down over her stomach, sliding it between her legs.  
Her head shot up again when he touched her lightly, a moan escaping her slightly parted lips when he increased the pressure of his hand.

Distracted by the still ringing phone, she moved her hand down to cover his, "Richard, I…" he knew exactly what to do to make this harder for her, "…you…" she glared at the still ringing phone, demanding it to stop, "…oh God." Her eyes rolled back in her head when she felt him probing her with his finger.  
He loved it when his actions left her speechless. Concentrating on the movements of his hand and the feel of her hot flesh around him, he made sure she got the most pleasure out of this.  
She would never admit it, but she liked it when he did this. He didn't do it very often, mainly because he didn't find that many excuses to get her in this position but now he grinned to himself, when he felt her respond to his touch.

Kissing her back, he let his tongue trail down her spine just to kiss his way up again, leaning over her, while his arm was wrapped around her waist. Loosening his embrace, he gently brushed his hand across her belly and up to her full breasts, brushing lightly over them, his arousal growing while listening to her throaty moans.  
Richard felt his erection press against her behind, throbbing in tune with his rapid pulse. He rubbed his groin against her, biting her shoulder to keep himself under control. "Emmy?" She knew what he wanted. It was all there, in his voice. Feeling him removing his hand from her, she invitingly rolled her hips against his, moaning with pleasure when she felt him entering her.

He remained still for a moment, savoring the feel of being inside of her before he placed his hands on her hips and began to slowly thrust into her.  
It didn't take long before she felt a familiar tingle begin to soar through her while he kept a slow, steady pace. She grabbed the sheets, her eyes closed, holding her breath to keep her moans from getting louder.

Years of experience let their movements match each others perfectly.

Emily let her head fall forward again, pressing herself harder against him when she felt his thrusts getting shorter and one of his hands left her hip to run up her back and grab her shoulder. He leaned forward, brushing his hand down her arm, putting it next to hers to support his weight, his stomach touching her back. Brushing his lips over the back of her neck he felt her moving in small circles underneath him, driving him crazy.  
She turned her head, his breath tickling her cheek before he kissed it, the feel of his skin against hers sending shivers through her body.  
Pushing deeper into her, he felt the muscles in her back and thighs tighten, a slow smile spreading over his face. He pushed himself up to once again get a hold of her hips, watching her closely while he quickened his movements, not able to hold back any longer when he felt her muscles contract around him, her name on his lips when he let go.

The moment he came inside of her with one last, deep thrust Emily couldn't prevent herself from moaning with pleasure, not caring who might hear her as her orgasm shook her body.  
She felt her arms go weak, sinking down onto her elbows, breathing heavy.  
Richard brushed his hands up her back to gently massage her shoulders. Bending forward he pressed his lips to her spine while he pulled away from her slowly.

Once she felt him slide out of her, moving to lie down beside her, she let her knees slide back to lie on her stomach, her forehead touching the mattress. Her eyes still closed, she felt him kissing her shoulder and smiled against the sheets, sighing.  
Raising her head, she looked at him as he lay on his side, propped up on one elbow, watching her closely.  
His smile matched hers as he raised his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, brushing her hair off her shoulder then letting his hand run up and down her back.  
Her skin was cool to his touch. Moving away he grabbed her blanket from where it had fallen off the end of the bed, covering her slender body with it before sliding underneath it to warm her.  
Emily rolled on her side, raising her head to let him push his arm under it and around her before she snuggled up to him. Kissing his chest she brushed her hand over it, delighted when her touch caused goose bumps to appear.

"Thank you." He rubbed her upper arm while he felt her moving her leg to lie between his.  
Furrowing her brow she lifted her head and looked up at him, "For what?"  
Richard grinned, "For letting it ring."  
Snuggling back against him she patted his chest, giggling "My pleasure."  
He chuckled lowly, "I bet."  
Placing another kiss on his chest, she closed her eyes.  
A few minutes later she opened them again, "Richard?"  
"Yes dear?" His hand moved up to cover hers.  
"How late is it?"  
Taking a deep breath he turned his head, trying to get a visual of the alarm clock on his night stand. Squinting his eyes for a moment he gave up, putting his head back in a more comfortable position, closing his eyes, "Not that late."  
Emily pushed herself up on one elbow, looking down at him, "Is that quarter to or just quarter past I-am-not-wearing-my-glasses?"  
Richard chuckled, "Okay, you got me." He moved to lie on his side of the bed. The moment his head touched the pillow he felt her crawling after him, opening his arms to let her recreate the comfortable position they had just left.

Kissing her hair he reached out and grabbed the alarm clock, trying his luck again, "Twenty past seven."  
Quickly going over her schedule in her mind, Emily smiled contently when she didn't remember any appointments before noon.  
They lay in comfortable silence, until a growling noise made Richard chuckle lowly, "Hungry?"  
Smiling against his chest she didn't open her eyes when she replied, "Just a little," she patted his chest, "ignore it, it will go away."  
When the sound repeated itself after a while, she huffed in frustration, "I don't want to get up." She felt his body shake as he chuckled again quietly; raising her head she playfully slapped his chest, "Hey!"  
He grinned up at her, "What?"  
Raising her perfectly shaped eyebrows, she scolded him, "You're not supposed to make fun of the wife."  
"I apologize, dear." his eyes sparkled, "Now, shall we go and get breakfast?"

Emily smiled and pushed herself up in a sitting position, trying to get comfortable she decided to spread her legs slightly, it felt awkward sitting like this but she did feel a little sore.  
Looking in the direction of the door, she sighed. How could he possibly think that she was capable of walking to it, let alone all the way downstairs? Turning her head back towards him, she met his broad grin. He read her thoughts, "I'll go and get it."  
Kissing her nose, he climbed over her, stopping for a moment to press another kiss to her mouth.  
Emily watched him while he put on his bathrobe, smiling at him when he turned back to her after opening the door, "Don't go away." He winked.  
Her smile widening, she nodded her head, "Promised."  
Closing her eyes, she pulled the covers higher up around her and leaned back against the headboard, smiling to herself. On any other day she would have stopped him from going downstairs wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

Her eyes snapped open, trying to remember if he had put on ANYthing else other than the robe. For a second she was tempted to go after him and find out, but she couldn't. Shaking her head, she giggled at her own silliness and closed her eyes again.  
She would find out once he was back.

For now, she just hoped that he had tightened his robe belt.

* * *

**Author's note:  
**Well, that's all, folks (insert the Looney Toons melody here)  
Hope you enjoyed it and you aren't too disappointed by it. My faithful beta and left hand (I would say "right hand" but as I'm left handed begin my left hand makes her more important) the great Elizabeth read it a long time ago. Acutally, I wrote chapter 3 before chapter 2, so I don't know if it lives up to the 2nd chapter. ... Anyway, I'm drifting off. The purpose of this Author's Note thingie is to answer your reviews. And THANKS AGAIN for reviewing!! It really keeps me going. :o) 

**Ellie**, another loooong review. My, how I like them!  
I am glad you liked chapter 2 so much! I just hope that your high expectations weren't disappointed this time! I like thinking of E&R as soulmates. To me they really have a special bond that we can see very seldomly but if you look closely enough you know how much they mean to each other and I try to capture that in every one of my stories. I'm glad you feel it. :o)!  
I tried to remember what the room looked like and because I didn't know how well everybody else remembers it, I tried to discribe it the way I "saw" it in my head.  
Oh yes, the meaningful silence... I think they really have that kind of deep understanding so they don't need as many words as I'd like to write for them.  
I wanted to make them talk, but not talk about everything. So I picked the one thing that was too painfully obvious to everyone but Richard and made them talk about that. ... Of course there are a lot of other things that they should discuss, but I think they didn't. Or at least not in detail, because otherwise Richard would have been more sensitive in the episodes to come. As you read, I didn't make them talk much more, but I guess they could have talked over breakfast. In a lighter way.  
Wow, this is getting as long as your review, isn't it? ... I think I really need your eMail addy so we can talk a little more ;o). But I'm thorough ... it's the German in me. 0:o)  
Did you propose "Cause she likes lists" yet? ;o) ... Well, I think I'll have a lot of catching up to do once I'm back home. For now, I'm just enjoying NYC though :o).

**EmilyandRichard4ever**  
Why don't you try yourself? You seem to have lots of ideas in your head, so try to put them down... I'd really like to read something by you ... I could help or be your beta, if you'd like.

Well, **Branda**, I am glad I made your busy day a little better with chapter 2! And LOL - so you had his voice in the background while reading smutt about one of his characters? My, my, THAT must have felt funny. ;o)

Hi, **Ane**, I miss our chats ... you seem to be online right now but "busy". I'm glad it's that kind of story for you. :o) It's so good to know that people keep reading my work ... makes me feel special. ;o)

Thanks, **OldFashionedGrl**, I'm glad you liked it! As I said, I wrote chapter 3 before chapter 2. Mainly because I knew "And last night..." would have to be special and long and ... well ... the way it turned out. ;o).

Gern geschehen **morzsa**, I'm so glad you liked it!

Goodness gracious **Val**!! I didn't forget you, it's just that your review was on the 2nd side and I didn't see it so ... it ... uhm ... yeah, but now I will write you too, because your review was SO NICE:oD Thank you!!  
I am so glad that you like my stories so much! And that chapter 2 was to your likening. :o)  
It wasn't all that hard to find a way to make Emily let Richard's smile reappear ;o).  
You know Emily, of course she tried to lie first, just to win the point, but then - he sees right through her, because that's the way I imagine them to work. They don't always get each other but when they look closely they can see the truth behind the facade and that was one of the moments where it felt that it should be crystal clear.  
I don't think I topped chap 2 with chap 3, but then, I didn't write them in that order either. And I think all three are too different to really be compared to one another.  
Sorry I didn't post it on your bDay (happy belated birthday, by the way!! Feel hugged!) But I will gladly dedicate this chapter to you in honor or your birthday ;o).


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